Grip for firearm and method of manufacture therefor

ABSTRACT

A grip for a weapon accessory rail, in which the grip is latched into any position on the accessory rail by a plastic compression latch which is inserted through the side of the grip, and is designed to be removed with the aid of a cartridge, or alternatively by a user depressing a button on the latch through a hole in the grip. The grip is manufactured by overmolding, allowing a variety of textures to be formed thereon, and allowing the material of the overmolded part to be selected for maximum grip, whilst the material of the core of the grip can be selected for maximum strength.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to grips for firearms and a methodof manufacture therefor. More particularly: the invention relates togrips mounting on a standard rail system on a firearm, to a latchtherefor, and to a method of manufacture using overmolding.

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Background

[0004] It is well known in the art to mount accessories such as sights,scopes, bayonets or grenade launchers on to an accessory rail on afirearm. Grips for mounting on accessory rails are also known in theart. However, the known grips exhibit several difficulties or problemstherein.

[0005] One such problem is that the latch that is used to retain thegrips onto the weapon rail tends to rattle. This occurs due to the widevariation in tolerances between the grip and the rail, and because boththe common type of latch and the rail are made of metal. This can be aserious problem in combat situations where stealth may be required. Itis important not to underestimate the great importance of the advantageof surprise in many such situations.

[0006] A further disadvantage of the latch as used in the background artis that a great deal of force has to be exerted in a direction towardsthe barrel or stock of the weapon in order to disengage the latch. Giventhat time is of the essence in combat situations, and that combat islikely to give rise to fatigue, this can render it difficult orimpossible, or at least too slow, to change accessories in combatsituations.

[0007] A further disadvantage of currently available grips is that theycan only be mounted at an end of the accessory rail, and not at anotherdesired position. This further complicates the task of changingaccessories, and restricts the choice of where the accessories may bemounted.

[0008] Further, grips known in the background art may only being mountedon an accessory rail that has an undercut in an end of the rail. Not allaccessory rails known in the art are provided with a suitable undercut,even if the rails comply with the accepted standard.

[0009] A further disadvantage of existing grips is that the surfacetends to be slippery and lacks sufficient grip. This arises due to theneed to compromise in the composition of the grip between the need forsufficient strength to resist breakage and suitable surface propertiesfor maximum grip that could be obtained with a softer material.

[0010] Further, existing grips known in the background art have thelatch mounted too close to the end of the grip, thereby weakening thestructure of the grip. This is related to the need to mount the grip atan end of the rail.

[0011] These and other difficulties of the background art are believedto be overcome by the present invention, as will be further discussedbelow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention provides for a grip for a weapon accessoryrail, in which the grip is latched into any position on the rail by aplastic compression latch which may be inserted through the side of thegrip, and is designed to be removed with the aid of a cartridge.

[0013] Further, the grip of the present invention is manufactured byovermolding, allowing a variety of textures to be formed thereon, andallowing the material of the overmolded part to be selected for maximumgrip, whilst the material of the core of the grip can be selected formaximum strength.

[0014] Further, use of glass filled materials including nylon 66, nylon666, polystyrene, polypropylene or the like provides enhanced strengthin the grip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention will now be further described with reference to thedrawings, in which like numerals designate like elements.

[0016]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a grip according to a preferredembodiment of the invention, when viewed from above.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a grip according to a preferredembodiment of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a grip according to a preferredembodiment of the invention, when viewed from below.

[0019]FIG. 4 is an end view of a grip according to a preferredembodiment of the invention.

[0020]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an overmolding of a grip accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0021]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a latch bar according to apreferred embodiment of the invention.

[0022]FIG. 7 is an end view of an accessory rail according to thebackground art.

[0023]FIG. 8 is a side view of an accessory rail according to thebackground art.

[0024]FIG. 9 is a side view of a firearm having a multiple accessoryrail system according to the background art.

[0025]FIG. 10 is a view of a grip according to the background artmounted on a multiple accessory rail system similar to that of FIG. 9.

[0026]FIG. 11(A) is a plan view of a grip according to the backgroundart, shown in greater detail.

[0027]FIG. 11(B) is a side view of a latch clip according to thebackground art.

[0028]FIG. 12 is an end view of a grip according to the background art.

[0029]FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a latch bar according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the invention.

[0030]FIG. 14 is an isometric view of a latch bar according to yetanother preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0031]FIG. 15 is an isometric view of a grip according to the embodimentof FIG. 14.

[0032]FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the grip of FIG. 15 with thelatch bar of FIG. 14 inserted therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] An accessory rail system for firearms is defined by the 1913Piccatinny Rail standard FIGS. 7 and 8 show an accessory rail 700according to this standard, with various dimensions shown thereon. Thedimension ‘a’ in FIG. 8 is defined as 0.394 inches, and is equal to thepitch between any two adjacent slots 725 or between any two adjacentteeth 750 of the 1913 rail 700.

[0034]FIG. 9 shows a partial view of a firearm 900, upon which ismounted a multiple accessory rail system 950 including a number ofaccessory rails 700. FIG. 10 shows a similar view, in which a grip 1000having a latch clip 1010 is mounted upon one of the accessory rails 700.FIGS. 11(A), and 12 show the grip 1000 of the background art in moredetail, and FIG. 11(B) shows the latch clip of the background art.

[0035] The grip 1000 is retained in a slot 725 between teeth 750 on theaccessory rail 700 by means of the latch 1010. In the background artgrip 1000 the latch clip 1010 is in the form of a C-shaped metal clipinserted through holes 1030 in the grip 1000. To disengage the latchclip 1010 from the rail 700, the user must push in the center of thelatch clip 1010. This requires considerable force. In addition, due tomanufacturing tolerances both in the accessory rail 700 and the latchclip 1010, which are both made of metal, movement occurs between therail 700 and the latch clip 1010, leading to a rattling noise aspreviously discussed.

[0036] The background art grip 1000 is conventionally formed in a singlemolding step. The composition of material from which the grip 1000 ismolded must therefore be a compromise between strength and surfaceproperties. Typically, in order to achieve sufficient strength, thesurface of the grip 1000 is normally hard and relatively shiny, leadingto insufficient gripping properties. In addition, the typicalarrangement of ribs 1020 is not optimized for maximum grippingproperties.

[0037] A grip 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the inventionis shown in several views in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The grip 100 includesa core 120 and a molding 110 thereon. A texture 130 is formed onovermolding 110. The latch includes a proximal end 150, a centralportion 160 and a distal end 140, and is inserted through the side ofthe grip 100 and the latch bar grips in place between teeth 750 ofaccessory rail 700 by compression.

[0038] The grip 100 is constructed from a core 120 and an overmolding110, thereby allowing the optimum selection of materials. In otherwords, the core 120 can be selected from materials having a high degreeof strength, such as glass-filled thermoplastics, for example nylon 66,nylon 666, polystyrene, polypropylene, etc. The overmolding 110, on theother hand, can be formed from a softer thermoplastic, which is notglass-filled, and is therefore more malleable and provides better grip.In the case where the material used for the overmolding 110 isincompatible with that used for the core 120, i.e. where they do notadhere to one another, the two parts may be retained together byadditional mechanical means. The additional mechanical means may takethe form of holes (not shown) formed part way through the core. Theseholes then automatically become filled with the overmolding materialwhen the overmolding 110 is formed on the core 120. It will beappreciated by one skilled in the art that other mechanical means forjoining the core 120 and the overmolding 110 may be employed withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

[0039] The strength of the grip 100 of the preferred embodiment is alsoenhanced by locating the aperture 170 for the latch bar 600 further awayfrom the nearest end of the grip 100 by an amount substantially equal totwice the pitch ‘a’, or 2×0.394 inches, relative to the distance thatthe latch clip 1010 is located from the end of the grip 1000 in thebackground art. The latch clip 1010 in the background art as discussedherein is spaced about 0.1 inches from one end of the grip 1000, and isabout 0.1 inches wide, i.e. the clip 1010 is centered about 0.15 inchesfrom the nearest end of the grip 1000. In other words, the latch bar600, and therefore the aperture 170 into which it fits, should becentered around 0.95 inches from the nearest end of the grip 100 in thepresent invention. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art thatthe benefits of increasing this distance may be at least partly realizedprovided that the aperture 170 is centered at least 0.25 inches from thenearest end of grip 100, although a value of 0.9-1.0 inches may bepreferred.

[0040] Forming the grip 100 from a core 120 and an overmolding 110 alsoenables the shape of the texture 130 to be selectively changed bychanging only the overmolding 110 without changing the mold used toproduce the core 120. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, thetexture 130 is as shown in the drawings, having the form of a so-called‘L7’ pattern. Applicant has observed that the ‘L7’ pattern providesbetter gripping properties than, for example, the ribs 1020 on the grip1000 of the background art. FIG. 5 shows the overmolding 110 by itself,showing the texture 130 and an aperture 170 through which the latch barwould be inserted.

[0041]FIG. 6 shows a latch bar 600 according to a preferred embodimentof the invention. The latch bar is configured to be inserted through theside of the grip 100, as can most clearly be seen with reference to FIG.3. In use, the central portion 160 of the latch bar is a compression fiton the accessory rail 700. The proximal end 150 of the latch bar isprovided with a detent 180 so that the user of the firearm can removethe latch bar from grip 100 by using an ammunition cartridge (notshown).

[0042] The latch bar 600 disclosed in the above embodiment of theinvention overcomes the difficulties of the latch clip 1010 of thebackground art in that the latch bar 600 of the invention providescompression rather than tension latching and employs no metal parts thatcan give rise to rattling or other noises that can impede stealthattacks.

[0043] The detent on the latch bar may be in the form of a catch barb orhook as in the above embodiment, or in an alternative embodiment thelatch bar may be retained in the grip 100 by a button and holecombination. That is, the latch bar may be provided with a button thatpasses through a vertical aperture (not shown) provided in the grip 100,so that when a user depresses the button the latch bar is released fromthe grip 100. A latch bar 1300 according to this alternative embodimentis shown in FIG. 13, and is provided with a button 1380 and a springmeans (not shown) for biasing the button 1380. The button 1380 may bedome-shaped, generally as shown, but this is not critical to it'soperation. The latch bar 1300 is also provided with an enlarged stepportion 1350 at the proximal end thereof to prevent the latch bar 1300from being pushed too far into the grip 100.

[0044] In another alternative embodiment of the invention, as shown inFIGS. 14, 15 and 16, the latch bar 1400 is provided with an enlargedstep portion 1450 at the proximal end thereof, and a resilient stop1480. The resilient stop 1480 cooperates with slot 1575 on grip 1500 toretain the latch bar 1400 in place in grip 1500 unless sufficientlateral force is exerted to overcome it, and step portion 1450 preventsthe latch bar 1400 from being pushed too far into the grip 1500.

[0045] It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that numerousvariations and modifications are possible, and that the invention may bepracticed otherwise than as specifically disclosed herein, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed in Letters Patent is:
 1. A latch bar forretaining an accessory on an accessory rail of a firearm, comprising: aproximal end, a central portion and a distal end; said latch barconfigured to be inserted in a lateral aperture in said accessory;wherein: said central portion is compressed against said rail when saidaccessory is mounted on said rail and said latch bar is inserted in saidlateral aperture in said accessory.
 2. The latch bar according to claim1, wherein: said latch bar comprises thermoplastic material.
 3. Thelatch bar according to claim 1, wherein: said proximal end is providedwith a detent; whereby said latch bar is withdrawn from said lateralaperture in said accessory by applying a force to said detent.
 4. Thelatch bar according to claim 3, wherein: said detent is a resilientlybiased button; and said accessory is provided with a vertical aperture;said latch bar disengaged from said lateral aperture in said accessoryby applying said force to said detent through said vertical aperture insaid accessory.
 5. The latch bar according to claim 3, wherein: saiddetent is a resiliently biased stop; said accessory is provided with atleast one slot; and said stop in said latch bar engaging said slot insaid accessory to retain said latch bar in said accessory.
 6. The latchbar according to claim 1, wherein: said accessory is a grip forsupporting said firearm.
 7. The latch bar according to claim 6, wherein:said latch bar comprises thermoplastic material.
 8. The latch baraccording to claim 7, wherein: said proximal end is provided with adetent; whereby said latch bar is withdrawn from said lateral aperturein said accessory by applying a force to said detent.
 9. The latch baraccording to claim 8, wherein: said detent is a resiliently biasedbutton; and said accessory is provided with a vertical aperture; saidlatch bar disengaged from said lateral aperture in said accessory byapplying said force to said detent through said vertical aperture insaid accessory.
 10. The latch bar according to claim 8, wherein: saiddetent is a resiliently biased stop; said accessory is provided with atleast one slot; and said stop in said latch bar engaging said slot insaid accessory to retain said latch bar in said accessory.
 11. A gripfor mounting on an accessory rail of a firearm, comprising: a coreconfigured to engage said accessory rail; and an overmolding formed uponsaid core.
 12. The grip according to claim 11, wherein: said corecomprises a glass-filled polymer; and said overmolding comprises athermoplastic that is softer than said glass-filled polymer.
 13. Thegrip according to claim 12, wherein: said glass-filled polymer comprisesa material selected from the group consisting of: nylon 66, nylon 666,polystyrene, and polypropylene.
 14. The grip according to claim 12,wherein: said overmolding comprises a textured pattern comprising raisedportions.
 15. The grip according to claim 14, wherein: said raisedportions comprise shapes of the letter L and the number 7; said letter Land said number 7 being arranged as inverted mirror images of eachother.
 16. The grip according to claim 11, further comprising: a lateralaperture provided in said grip for receiving a latch bar.
 17. The gripaccording to claim 16, further comprising: a vertical aperture providedin said grip for receiving a release button.
 18. The grip according toclaim 16, wherein: said grip comprises two ends; and a center of saidlateral aperture is located at least 0.25 inches from a nearest end ofsaid grip.
 19. The grip according to claim 18, wherein: said center ofsaid lateral aperture is located 0.9 to 1.0 inches from said nearest endof said grip.
 20. A method of making a grip for mounting on an accessoryrail of a firearm, comprising the steps of: forming a core of a firstmaterial, configured to engage said accessory rail; and forming anovermolding of a second material upon an upper surface of said core. 21.The method according to claim 20, wherein: said first material comprisesa glass-filed polymer; and said second material is softer than saidfirst material.
 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein: saidglass-filled polymer comprises a material selected from the groupconsisting of: nylon 66, nylon 666, polystyrene, and polypropylene. 23.The method according to claim 20, wherein: said overmolding comprises atextured pattern comprising raised portions.
 24. The method according toclaim 23, wherein: said raised portions comprise shapes of the letter Land the number 7; said letter L and said number 7 being arranged asinverted mirror images of each other.
 25. The method according to claim20, further comprising the step of: before forming said overmolding ofsaid second material upon said upper surface of said core, forming atleast one indentation in said upper surface of said core; whereby saidat least one indentation becomes filled with said second material andprovides increased strength in a joint between said overmolding and saidcore.